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Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

My Lords, if the noble Lord, Lord Lester, was sitting as a judge, he might not have difficulty, but this law is administered at a stage where the people involved do not have the benefit of his long experience of this kind of discussion. I have a little experience of it. Even though I am older than the noble Lord, Lord Lester, I have nothing like his experience of it, but I have dealt with other things as well. This is an area where the relationship between sexual orientation and conduct involves a difficult distinction for many people to take. It is easy for a lawyer of long experience in this area to make the distinction, but many people, including well-intentioned people in the police force and elsewhere, would find it difficult. The amendment is necessary. The government position, apparently, is that it does no harm. I hope that your Lordships will adhere to it.